A growing body of research confirms that cannabidiol (CBD) is an excellent natural pain reliever. Therefore CBD oils are beginning to be used widely for the relief of both chronic and neuropathic pain, especially as an alternative or in combination with traditional pharmacology (always under medical supervision)
The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back to the legs, thus covering a large area of the body. If it is therefore paralysed, for example, the pain is very intractable, and this type of pain has been called sciatica. And how does it cope CBD oil with sciatica? Is there any research already carried out in this direction?
What is sciatica and what are its causes?
Sciatica (Latin. ischias) is a pain that radiates from the lumbosacral spine and buttock, through the back of the thigh and lower leg to the foot. Why is the pain so widespread? Well, because the sciatic nerve is the longest nerve found in the human body. It is a conglomeration of four or five nerve roots that emerge from the spinal canal located in the lumbosacral region of the spine. It continues through the underside of the lower edge of the piriformis muscle, then through the gluteus maximus muscle and continues along the back of the thigh to the popliteal fossa.
It can therefore be seen that there are very many possibilities for the sciatic nerve to suffer compression, but the most common cause of sciatica is pressure on the nerve roots in the spinal canal. And this compression is caused by a fragment of the intervertebral disc. And this particular type of sciatica has a name - it is known as root pain (commonly referred to as radiculitis).
Sciatica may also be accompanied by neurological symptoms. The most common are sensory disturbances or muscle weakness. The pain can affect the lumbar region of the back and one or both legs down to the feet. Most often, however, it affects one side of the body and can take various forms.
More and more people are suffering from sciatica, and the reason is often a sedentary lifestyle. If sciatica is not treated properly, it has an increasingly negative impact on the patient's functioning. Sciatica can be further aggravated by obesity, age and diabetes. It can also be spinal stenosis.
Oral painkillers, available without a prescription, and topical pain patches or ointments are mostly used to relieve the pain. When the pain is severe and does not subside, a doctor should be consulted for stronger specifics. In extreme cases, the cause of the ailment can also be removed surgically.
Relief of sciatica can also be experienced with the use of CBD oils, either taken orally or rubbed into the painful area. Pastes and ointments containing cannabidiol also have an analgesic effect.
CBD oil and sciatica
Due to the fact that not everyone can or wants to take strong painkillers, which are not without negative side effects on the body, many people are looking for alternative methods to combat sciatica. And it really is possible to find such natural alternatives without too much trouble. And one of these is undoubtedly CBD oil, preferably used in the full spectrum version. Such oil contains, in addition to cannabidiol, a whole range of cannabinoids which have a positive effect on the body, making its analgesic effect, for example, even more powerful.
CBD has anti-inflammatory properties because it affects the body's endocannabinoid system. This system consists of cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and enzymes that affect the processing of endocannabinoids.
CBD influences the function of this system by interacting with cannabinoid receptors, including CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB2 receptors are particularly important for CBD's anti-inflammatory properties, as they are present in immune cells that are involved in inflammatory responses.
CBD reduces inflammation by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing the activity of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are proteins that are involved in the body's inflammatory responses, and their proper regulation is key to maintaining a balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes.
CBD oil for sciatica research
In recent years, there have been many studies confirming the effectiveness of CBD use for sciatica.
One animal study that suggests that CBD can provide relief from nerve pain, such as that caused by sciatica, is a study published in the journal Pain in 2017. In this study, researchers administered CBD to rats and observed that the substance reduced neuropathic pain.
Another study published in the European Journal of Pain in 2020 suggests that CBD can reduce pain caused by degenerative diseases of the spine, including sciatica. In this study, researchers administered CBD to patients with spinal pain and observed a reduction in pain.
In contrast, in 2018, a study was published in the Journal of Pain Research in which researchers evaluated the effectiveness of CBD in relieving neuropathic pain in patients with osteoarthritis, including sciatica. Twenty-four patients took part, and the results show that CBD can be effective in relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis.
The same conclusions were reached by a 2019 study published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics. The study included 20 patients suffering from the ailment, who were given CBD for pain relief.
In a 2020 study published in Pain Medicine, as well as a 2021 study published in the medical journal Journal of Pain Research, researchers evaluated the efficacy of CBD in relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis and achieved positive results. Patients observed a clear analgesic effect of CBD.
If we decide to use CBD oils, it is worth choosing those that come from a reliable source. The CBD content in the oil should be confirmed by research, and the raw materials used to obtain them, for the sake of our health, must not have residues of pesticides, heavy metals or microbiological traces such as mould or fungi. It is important to remember that the products we choose to improve our health should always be of the highest quality.
In any case, it is advisable to use an oil with the full spectrum of cannabinoids, so as to enjoy the therapeutic properties of the full compounds, not just CBD. However, when it comes to using CBD oil for sciatica, it is possible to start with concentrations as low as 20%-30% if the pains are severe, used from 2-3 times a day, a few drops to begin with, preferably under the tongue.
If you would like to determine an individual dose, please feel free to use our dosage calculator or contact us via chat or email.
It is advisable to start with smaller doses, which can be taken 3 times a day, increasing every 2-3 days. If any side effects are experienced, which are few and far between, it is possible to return to a lower dose and gradually increase the dose again, extending the time between doses.
CBD oils can also be rubbed into painful areas or cannabidiol pastes or ointments can be used interchangeably. Topical application of CBD-containing products should provide rapid pain relief.
- Sciatica; https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwa_kulszowa
- "Orally consumed cannabinoids provide long-lasting relief of allodynia in a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain"; authors: Antony D. Abraham, Edward J. Y. Leung, Brenden A. Wong et al; 2019; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-019-0585-3
